Guide to sun protection on golf courses: Protect your skin while playing golf

Golf is a sport that allows people to get close to nature, but when exposed to the sun for a long time on the golf course, the potential damage of ultraviolet rays to the skin and body cannot be ignored. Whether you are playing leisurely or competing, you should pay attention to sun protection to ensure that your skin remains healthy while playing golf. Here's a comprehensive guide to sun protection on golf courses.

Ultraviolet (UV) is a kind of invisible solar radiation, which is divided into UVA, UVB and UVC according to wavelength. Among them, UVA and UVB have the most significant impact on the human body:

• UVA (long-wave ultraviolet light): has strong penetrating power and can penetrate deep into the dermal layer of the skin. Even on cloudy days or behind glass, UVA can still reach the earth's surface. Mainly responsible for skin aging, wrinkle formation and dull skin tone, it is called "photoaging" UV rays. Long-term exposure may lead to an increased risk of skin cancer. Penetrates deep into the skin, causing aging, wrinkles and melanin deposition.
• UVB (Ultraviolet Medium Wave): Penetration is weak and mainly affects the surface layer of the skin (epidermis). Long-term exposure may cause sunburn and even increase the risk of skin cancer. In addition, the damage caused by ultraviolet rays to the eyes cannot be ignored, such as inducing cataracts or retinal problems. Therefore, you should also pay attention to eye protection when playing sports such as golf that are exposed to the sun for a long time.

characteristic	UVA	UVB
wavelength	320-400nm	290-320nm
penetration depth	Deep into the dermis	Act on the epidermis
weather effects	Penetrating clouds and glass	Clouds or glass can reduce intensity
main impact	Photoaging, wrinkles, melanin	Sunburn, DNA damage
harm	increased risk of skin cancer	increased risk of skin cancer

The core of sun protection is to block or weaken the penetration of ultraviolet rays into the skin. The current mainstream sun protection methods are divided into the following two types based on principles:

• Physical sunscreen: forms a barrier on the skin surface to directly isolate or reflect and scatter ultraviolet rays. Common ways are as follows:
• Sunscreen: Use a sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (these ingredients are not absorbed by the skin and reflect UV rays).
• Clothing: Sun-protective clothing directly blocks the sun's rays on the skin. Wearing sun protection clothing is a very important and efficient sun protection measure!
• Chemical sunscreen: Utilizes chemical components that absorb ultraviolet rays and convert them into harmless energy release.

Choosing the right sunscreen product can effectively reduce the direct damage of ultraviolet rays to the skin.

For long-term outdoor activities, if we choose sunscreen lotion for sun protection, we can choose products with high PFA value and SPF value that have been tested by authoritative organizations. For golf, it is recommended to use products with SPF50/PA+++ or above.

• SPF (Sun Protection Factor): It is called sun protection factor in Chinese. It means that after using sunscreen products, the skin can withstand sunburn under ultraviolet rays for several times longer than without using sunscreen. Refers to the ability of sunscreen to block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

• PA (Protection Grade of UVA): It is Japan’s rating standard for the UVA (long-wave ultraviolet) protection ability of sunscreen products, helping consumers understand the protective effect of products on UVA. UVA is an important cause of skin photoaging (such as wrinkles, spots) and long-term damage, so the PA label is one of the important indicators for evaluating sunscreen products.

Summary: UVA and UVB protection are equally important. Ignoring UVA may cause long-term skin damage. Only by choosing products with SPF30 or above and PA+++ or broad-effect protection marks, and combining them with physical sun protection, can you truly protect your skin from photoaging and other potential hazards.

Sun-protective clothing directly blocks the sun's rays on the skin. Wearing sun protection clothing is a very important and efficient sun protection measure! When choosing sun protection clothing, the UPF value is the key to determining the sun protection effect.

• UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor): A standard used to evaluate the ability of clothing to block ultraviolet rays, similar to the SPF value of sunscreen lotion. It measures the protective effect of clothing on ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). The higher the value, the stronger the ability to block ultraviolet rays.

• Light-colored clothing has a lower UPF value and is easier for sunlight to penetrate;
• Dark-colored clothing absorbs UV rays, but transmittance may still exist.

Through comparison in the table below, ordinary cotton clothing worn daily can provide certain protection against ultraviolet rays, but it is not enough to cope with long-term exposure or strong ultraviolet rays. Therefore, in golf, when matching clothing, we can choose professional golf jerseys, golf pants, and golf skirts with a high polyester content to ensure that ultraviolet rays cannot directly irradiate most areas of the body.

For parts that cannot be covered by tops and bottoms, we can wear them with sun hats, sleeves, windbreakers, inner pants, or knee-length socks that are thick enough and have been tested and certified by UPF50+ to achieve good sun protection. .

4. Recommended practical sun protection accessories

• Apply sunscreen: Choose a product with SPF30 or above and waterproof (sunscreen is easy to lose due to sweating), and apply it evenly 15-30 minutes before kick-off, and reapply about every two hours.
• Take a timely rest: Use the shade of trees or shading facilities on the court to reduce the time of direct ultraviolet rays.
• Wear appropriate clothing: Try to choose polyester fiber tops and bottoms, or thickened cotton clothing to block ultraviolet rays.
• Selection of women’s accessories: Choose certified large-brim sun hats, sun protection sleeves, sun protection inner pants with a UPF value of 50 or above, or stockings and stockings with sufficient thickness.
• Men's accessories selection: Choose a golf hat with an extended brim and pair it with sun protection sleeves with a UPF value of 50 or above. Depending on the weather conditions, you can pair it with sunglasses or sunglass clip-ons.

Sun protection is not only for beauty, but also for health. Understanding the dangers of ultraviolet rays, mastering the basic principles of sun protection, and choosing practical accessories can help you protect your skin while enjoying golf. From now on, add sun protection to your daily golf preparation list, so that every swing can be filled with peace of mind and health!